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| Photo Credit: Cottonbro Studio |
One of the reasons for this post is that I am currently in a reading slump. I have been for the most part since 2020. It's been a struggle for me to read and I can't explain why. It's weird since I always do those reading challenges on Goodreads and I always reach my target for the year. I have started so many books but I have not finished any of them. I'm hoping that by writing about what I gained from reading books and my book preferences I can change that. I'm hoping that I could trigger myself to go back and read again. And I hope that when I do, I can finish at least one book for a change. It's been three years! This is too much!
But I digress, so let me get back to the benefits of starting reading as a child. If I had any kids, I would encourage them to read too. I wouldn't force them, but I would try to see if I can nudge them in that direction. There's so much to gain from it! For me, here are some of them:
Benefits of Starting Early with Reading
Creativity
Books have opened me up to new worlds, people, and adventures. It helped me to develop my imagination which has nurtured my creative side. I love that I got into reading early. I can't imagine life without imagination and creativity!
Language Development/Literacy
I started reading very young and kept on going until my adult years. It's reading that helped me to learn words that built my vocabulary early on. It made English classes in school easier for me. It has even led me to work based on my ability to write and communicate in English. I have reading to thank for that.
Discipline
Reading requires a lot of discipline. To be able to sit through a long book requires that you focus and be patient enough to finish it. Patience and focus are the kinds of discipline that I got from reading early.
Love of Learning
There's always something new to learn when you love to read. I love that it has made me a person who is open to new ideas and new concepts. It has made me a curious person who enjoys finding out about new things. I love thinking that there is always something new to discover with every new book I encounter.
Stress Management
Reading, as I've learned early on, has helped me to manage my stress. Escaping into a different world helps me to disengage from the present. It helps me to calm down and unwind after a long and tough day.
Book Preferences
Physical vs eBook
Looking back on my book-reading past, I can’t help but think about how much my relationship with books. The books that my family shared with me gave me an interest in reading. Books given to me as a gift or books borrowed from friends helped to develop my interest in various genres. Now as an adult, I have access to the rest of the world’s reviews and recommendations. I get to explore more books than I have ever imagined that I would as a child. Not only do I get to read more, but I can also read without all these books cluttering my home in the process. Thank goodness for the invention of e-books!
I love reading and I love books, but I also find it stressful to have too many books at home. Don't get me wrong. I love the smell of books. I love physical books. I love being able to flip a page to continue with a story like everyone else. What I do not love is not knowing where to put them when there is no longer enough space.
I also feel bad knowing that while I have a collection of books, these books will stay unread after I am done with them. These books deserve more than that. I know they can enrich other lives in the same way that they did mine. So, except for some favorites, I donated my collection when I had the chance. I am hoping that those books are being put to better use now at a library than stuck on my shelf at home. I still buy physical books from time to time but at least I know now that when it gets too many, I will be donating them again.
These days, eBooks are my preferred type of book. I love that I can avoid clutter this way. I can fill my Kindle with enough books for me to read and I would not have to worry about not having enough space for them. Yes, it feels different compared to a physical book, but it feels like the more practical option for me. Despite that, I do think that for me, eBooks do not apply to books that are best in their physical forms. Photo books, coffee table books, or books that are about art still need to be physical books for me. Plus, if I love a book, I will end up buying the physical version to keep at home. I haven’t bought one in a while though. My last one? It's Beyond the Story: 10-year Record of BTS.
Preferred Genres
Romance
Who doesn't love romance and the happy-ever-after? I love romance novels because of the millions of ways that romance writers come up with for people to fall in love. I love the idea of love and romance and having everything end up roses at the end. These are usually feel-good reading for me. It can be dramatic in parts, yes, but the happy ending will always do it for me.
Chick Lit
I love that these types of books are a light and fun read. These are the types of books I love to read when I don't want to be too stressed out about anything. It's one of those books that help improve my mood.
Young Adult/Fantasy
Most of the characters in young adult novels are, for obvious reasons, young adults. I don't understand why only these young people can be on adventures. How come the real adults don't do this? Whenever I read these books I tend to imagine older characters, because a lot of them don't behave their age. I wish that writers would create characters who are older for fantasy books. I'd like to think that there is more to adults than being in parent or teacher roles.
Thrillers/Mysteries
I remember a meme that women may look sweet but many of them love true crime. I don't follow true crime in TV or film as much, but I do love my share of thrillers and mysteries in my books. There's something about getting a jump scare with big surprises in books that I enjoy so much. I love how these writers think!
I love how books can entertain us, how they educate us and help us to grow. I love that we will never run out of things to read with all the books out there. One day, it is my dream that one of those books will have my name on it as the author...so watch out for that!
An episode of the Fandesals Podcast recently talked about books. Particularly, it was about common favorites and pet peeves when it comes to books. I have embedded the episode at the end of this post for anyone interested. Among the topics discussed was the relationship people have with books. It also discussed how people take care of books, genre preferences, and what makes people buy a book. There were also parts about how people take care of books and other book-lover-related topics.
It's about how there may be a lot of book lovers all over the world, but we all have different relationships with them. We all have our different quirks and preferences. We may have some things in common, but we can also have completely different ways of loving books. It's interesting how books reveal our personalities when it comes to the role books have in our lives. Check out the episode to learn more!
Have you ever thought of what kind of relationship you have with books and reading? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
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